The Long and Winding Road
by therealme1123
Summary: A.U. Fang and Max escape from the school with an unEraserfied Ari before splitting up. Max and a group of others form the Outsiders to stop Itex from hurting any more people. But who is Daniel Black? And why is he in NYC? FAX. T for swearing.
1. Formation

Hi, this part is more of a prologue than part of the story, but I still want reviews! Hope you like this one. It's my first try at a Fax fic with a happy ending.MR

Disclaimer: I don't own Max Ride, and am too bored to come up with something sarcastic. So there.

"Jeb, don't leave Ari here! You have to take him with us! You can't just leave him to be dissected and proded and tortured! He's your son, and first and foremost you have a responsibility to him. You know these people have no respect for human life! It's not a question of what we want to do Jeb. It's a question of what we need to do, of what the right thing to do is. And leaving Ari here is not on the list of things we need to do. Sure, he may be a bit of a liability, but I'd rather have a liability on my side than to have a worse liability that's out to kill me, and a guilty conscious that goes off whenever I see him! Don't you even want your own son to reach the age of ten?"

I can't believe I said that all in one breath, but it's even harder to believe that Jeb agreed with me. It was this, not our meetings in New York, nor my problems with Itex, that started the Outsiders. It was this conversation.

" Fang, you have to listen to me," I cried it out, the pain and weakness seeping through my body as I realized exactly what was going on. Fang was leaving me. The rock I clung to was slipping away. It was his fault even. " You were even the person who told me about Ari yourself. You were the person who overheard him and Jeb! Please he's my brother! Stop doing this. Please."

He shook his head and turned to fly off into the night. Now I was alone with my 3 year-old brother. What do I do? " Max?" My little brother looked up at me sadly. " where did Fang go? And can we get some food? I'm hungry."

Food. Wonderful. No money, no un tattered clothing, but we really need food. Food and Fang. I don't know what we're going to do without him.

Within the next week Ari and I were in New york, the city that never sleeps. We found our way down to the sewers, where some people probably sleep at night, meeting up with these kids that looked around our age. I walked up to them with Ari in my arms and they froze around their little trash can fire. " Hey, you can keep on talking, I promise I won't tell. You can trust me."

They looked at me quizzically. " How can you promise that?"

"Here," I said, taking out one of my feathers, " You can have this, You know my secret now, so even if I tell, which I won't, you can tell my secret. Okay?"

they looked at me strangely for a minute and then stared at the feather, as if deciding something, then all but a few reached to their backs and pulled out similar feathers. They were planning on how to release some people from this place called the Institute, and that's how we all became known as the Outsiders.


	2. LOVE at the coffee shop

Thanks for all the reviews! I really hope you like this chapter!MR

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride. Plain and simple.

Together we freed most of the Institiute. I won't go into much detail on that subject, it's not one of my favorites. Then I contacted Jeb for some more money and set up camp in a house a bit north of the city. Our house, affectionately called Ride Manor, is comparatively far away from most everyone else, so we can keep our wings out a lot of the time. For those who have them that is. Some of us are wingless hybrids, some humans, some ex-Erasers, etc., all of them sworn to secrecy.

But I still hadn't heard from Fang. Even after 4 years. All this time, I kept thinking about how he'd look if I saw him today, what we'd be like if he hadn't ran out on me. If I wouldn't have to be in Broadway, if we could take out Itex together. But I wouldn't get the chance to find out. He's gone, I told myself for the millionth time. He's gone and he's not coming back.

"Reinhardt, get out here and start warming up. You've got fifteen minutes before we open the doors."

Works been slow in the theaters lately, so I'm doing a jazz night at a local coffee house. It pays pretty well, and it keeps my voice in shape. I've died my hair a dark auburn with henna, just so no one can recognize me, and the slinky green dress fits well so most of the guys will probably be staring at me. No biggie. They do it a lot. Not that I like it. Please, their stares make me feel like I've got "person with wings" plastered on my face. So when they asked me to sing L-O-V-E, I felt great. People weren't going to be looking at me! They'd be dancing, which, in some cases, makes me laugh more than it makes me claustrophobic.

After warming up, the owner opened the doors for the night to begin. I sang a couple of pieces before the big number so the most people would hear it.

L is for the way you look at me

O is for the only one I see

V is very, very extraordinary

E is even more than anyone that you adore can

Love is all that I can give to you

Love is more than just a game for two

Two in love can make it

Take my heart and please don't break it

Love was made for me and you

trumpet instrumental

L is for the way you look at me

O is for the only one I see

V is very, very extraordinary

E is even more than anyone that you adore can

Love is all that I can give to you

Love is more than just a game for two

Two in love can make it

Take my heart and please don't break it

Love was made for me and you

Love was made for me and you

Love was made for me and you

Right as I stopped singing I noticed a pair of eyes looking at me from across the room. They looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place them. They were dark, matching the man that came with them. He had jet-black hair and olive skin, and I knew him. I don't know how, but I do.

On my break, I walked over to him. "Hey, what's your name?"

I spoke, "Marienne Reinhardt. I work here."

" I knew that much… the part that you work here, I mean. You have a really good voice."

" All the better for filling my stomach."

He laughed, and it was like the tinkling sound of bells, except he was a perfect baritone. His eyes lacked any sparkle, though. It was like he'd lost somebody, or something, and he couldn't get the light to come to his eyes. Don't ask me how I even try to know that, because I have absolutely no idea. " So what's yours?"

"Daniel Black."

Fang's POV

I was at a coffee house in New York. Why? I heard about this group, a rival group I might add, that was trying to take out Itex. Something like the Outsiders. Cut throat and dangerous, they are, and that's why our group wants to take them out for the count. Sure there are other groups, there will always be other groups. But these guys are like where legends are born. They go in, do their job, and come out, without anyone even noticing. All there are are rumors, little trickles of information. So today's my day of R and R before I go off to my most certain doom at the hands of ghosts.

It was jazz night at this particular place, not that I like jazz, it's okay, but what was really interesting was the singer herself. She had long dark auburn hair that was layered around her face and curled around down beneath her chin. She was tall and a light tan. You could tell she definitely did not go to a tanning salon, it was too natural a color.

And her light brown eyes spoke the most about her. they brimmed with feeling during the big number, like it really hurt her to sing it. It was some sappy love song, so I wasn't listening. I mean, let's face the music, I'm a fourteen year-old guy who looks like a model in my 20s. Like I love sappy love songs. I'm more interested in the people staring at me.

That's another thing that surprised me about her. she was the only person who didn't stare at me when I came in. I was just another audience member to her. And I liked that.

After she was finished singing she noticed my stare, which I just noticed, too, and walked over to talk to me. We talked to each other for a bit before I had to go and start a bit of my work early. I just chomp at the bit to get away from my guys sometimes. They're lovable, but they can get on your nerves in less than half a second.

I walked into the club called the Myriad. From local info it's got the Counterculture in the basement, and that's exactly where I needed to be. Thank someone for my good looks, I'm not being selfish or egotistical or anything, but good looks can save you from bad stuff, like being carded on your way in to a club. I looked into the brightly lit place to see loads of swirly colors flowing around on the walls and ceiling. " Digital wallpaper. Cool, huh?"

A girl who looked like she was in her very early 20s with really long black hair and deep brown eyes walked up to me in a navy blue sparkly tank top and a ripped short denim skirt. " My name's Natalie, what's yours?"

Woo-hook. Second girl tonight! This is going to be fun up here in New York. I thought they were used to beautiful people. " Oh, we're used to them. Newcomers however, they're a different story. You're not here to party, are you?"

" I didn't say any of that."

" But you looked like you were thinking it. You're here for the…," She switched to a whisper, "Counterculture, aren't you?"

" Yeah, that obvious?"

"Yes. No tourists come to the Myriad. Only business people and residents. So follow me… You're here to see Momma Celia, right?" A/N: that's pronounced say-LEEuh

I nodded in agreement as she led me towards the back of the stage. Behind it was a set of stairs and two younger people, both in suits and dark glasses. One looked really tall, about my age, and the other was way younger, probably about 7 years old. That kid shouldn't be here.

" Hey, John. Hey, short stuff," she greeted the two of them.

" Hey, Nat," they replied, grinning like fools.

" You didn't… you DID. She's going to be pissed. You know she's working late tonight! Oh, well, I'll talk to you about it later. We've got a newb."

The little guy looked really excited. " Really? We do? Where is he?"

"You're wearing I-John's glasses aren't you?"

"That obvious?"

Oh so weird! That kid sounded just like me! Okay, breathe. So there are probably hybrids… You're a hybrid! Just because one person mimics your voice perfectly doesn't' mean you get to flip out. The kid, I still don't know what his name is, took off the glasses and looked at me. "Check him, John. He's a newb, alright."

His face changed to a serious look and John took my hand, searching it carefully with his fingers. I must have let my emotionless mask drop, because Natalie looked at me funny and said, "John's blind. He needs to be able to identify you."

John grinned again, and made a fake ping sound of recognition, pulling a card on a lanyard out of his pocket. " Day pass," he said.

I was lead to Momma Celia's, I don't know what to call it, lair, throne room, chambers, something like that. Even though that doesn't even come close to describing it.

Celia herself was a tall, lean black woman in a scarlet dress. I looked around and, sure enough, the stereotypical everything-matches-the-big-shot's-clothes-thing came out right. The walls were painted black and had scarlet tulle draped in small little arcs near the ceiling. On the ceiling itself there was more of the same, dipping down in certain places. The floor was a mixture of black and scarlet carpet, leading up to a raised platform that held one solitary carved oak chair.

Celia rose from her seat. "What's your name?"

"Daniel Black."

" Well then, Mr. Black, what brings you here?"

" The Outsiders. I want information. Information that I know you have. My group wants to confirm any and all suspicions."

" We don't talk about the Outsiders here."

Natalie spoke up. " She won't mind, Celia. Not as long as you don't tell everything. But you can confirm what he guesses."

Celia looked at me. " Start asking, Black."

" We've heard they're all hybrids, that they can disappear. We've also heard about their leader, a girl I'm presuming, an avian hybrid right? We've heard she can blend in anywhere. Any of that true?"

" Some, but that's all I can say."

"Are some of them with us right now?"

Natalie and a couple of others came out of the shadows, cracking their knuckles. " What exactly do you want with the Outsiders?"

I was in definite trouble. While the operatives from the outsiders called up their leader, I was being babysat by the guards, John and the kid. They seemed like best friends. the way they stick together. "What's your name?"

The kid looked up at me, his bright blue eyes shining in the fluorescent light. " My name's none of your business, mister."

That was a bit surprising, not that anything in my life wasn't. the phone rang on the desk John sat at, his sightless eyes glaring daggers in the general direction of the obnoxious noise. He picked up the receiver with relative ease, talked a few codes into the phone and handed it over to me. "Leader wants to talk to you."

" What's your name?" The voice on the phone crackled to life.

" Daniel Black."

" Real name, please."

" That is my name."

I noticed I was talking to somebody who was using a voice changer. And I found it was getting on my nerves.

" Don't lie hybrid. Your kind disgusts me."

John half grimaced and half smirked in my direction, making me think he's a hybrid, too. " My name's Fang, okay?"

" No, that's not okay.Put me on speaker phone." I did. "John, or whatever you're going by at the moment, keep him in there, get the twins and make him talk about what he's been up to lately. Inform Will and Natalie. I'll be down there in a half hour."

Max's POV

I didn't hear what I thought I just heard. Fang is in New York, after my group. Is he really that stupid? And that fake name, man, even Ari and I came up with better names than Daniel Black. Ours are currently Marienne and Connor Reinhardt. Top that, Fang.

I rushed over to pick Ari up from school. The cute little kid is 7 now, and his smiles are just the cutest. "How's your day, Ari?"

" It was good, Max. Do we really have to go on your motorcycle?"

" Yes. I've got some business to do over at the Counterculture, you know, the normal. But we can pick up ice cream afterwards, how does that sound?"

I was answered with a quiet exclamation of joy and a fist punched into the air. It makes me proud how he's grown up. And just thinking about what he'd be like if we left without him just makes me shudder. He climbed on to the back with his cute little backpack and put his tiny helmet on, getting ready to ride down to one of his least favorite places.

We arrived, and I immediately felt him tense. It would be easier if he could focus on something else. I did a 360 and found an ice cream stand. He's always liked vanilla, so I bought him a cone to focus on. Ari really doesn't like the bright colors and loud sounds, but more than anything he hates being closed in with a thousand other people. And believe me, I know the feeling well.

We walked to the back where I found Talon talking to Terra and Trixie, all of them wearing identical faces of worry." What's up?"

"The sky, dufus," the twins said at the same time. Their black hair was cut short except for bangs that flopped in front of their cute tan faces.

But even for being 9, those twins get on my nerves." I meant what's going on, anything new?"

" Not since you called, but the prisoner…"

"Fang."

"Yes, Fang, knows you're coming. So be prepared."

" Me, as in Max, or me, as in Leader?"

"Leader."

" Thank God."

I went down and put on a costume with a mask and wig. Like hell I'm letting him know who I am just yet. Gasman showed me which detainment cubicle we had Fang in before going to talk to Ari, and I went in the room, waiting for the inevitable explosion of emotion. But it didn't come. He sat there silently as I entered and relieved Iggy of his duties. In my costume of Henry the 8th there's no way he can recognize me. I had a voice changer, too. But him seeing me physically would have given it away more than my voice.

" Long time, no see Fang. What've you been up to lately?"

" I know you?"

He still looked as good as he had before. Better, even. Bad, Max! Remember what he did to you!" No, but I know you, and that's all you need to know about me. So answer the question."

" Well, I won't."

" You will, just give it time. You don't get to leave, or eat, or use the bathroom until you answer my questions. I'll go on to the next one anyway. Who do you work for?"

" I'm not telling."

" Fang, make yourself a choice, make it easy on yourself, or be a martyr. And remember, martyrs usually don't get remembered in the family newsletter. I'll give you a minute."

And with that I left the room to give out some orders to the twins.


	3. Like You Didn't Have a Death Wish Before

I know Max is gonna come out sounding part bipolar and a whole huge part OOC but in my defense she's having a hard time with leading her group and with Fang back in the picture. Also there's going to be mention of several new characters, unless you see their point of view, you can basically write them off as supporting characters with no real part in the story but as motive or descriptions. So yeah, just my survival guide for this chapter. Hope you like it, and thanks to all the people who reviewed. MR

Disclaimer: I only own the laptop I'm typing on and my plot. Otherwise it's either rented or borrowed. Take your pick.

Max's POV

If there's one thing that's good about my line of work, it's that it sure can be fun. I walked up on to the stage of the Myriad, my short, tight red gown making me sweat a little under the lights. Every guy in the room was staring at me, except the people who work here; they know better by now.

Yes, to answer your obvious question I did say night when I was working at the coffee house, and then yes I did pick up Ari from school. Ari is in advanced classes and doesn't get out until 5:30, but then he plays with some friends until I can get there. And right now, it's 11:00 at night. I take the graveyard shift so that I don't get talked into making breakfast. Iggy is on strike at the moment, and so sometimes it's Charlie, sometimes it's Kayla, sometimes it's Talon, and sometimes it's me. I shudder mentally at the thought.

So why am I working at the Myriad? To pay the rent for the Counterculture. I run the place, and they organize some stuff for me and keep the rumors spreading, so I work to pay off the bills of owning the basement. You thought those were slip-ups by my guys? Nuh-uh.

Sadly, the dollar really doesn't stretch that far up here. So I work a lot unless I come in during the time people party most. And around this time of year, the most people are going to be here right about now. Plus, there are some people who know my schedule and come to watch me sing. Most of those people pay it big to get up near the stage. I don't think I'm that good, but hey, they're drunk, what do they care?

I decided to pick a edgier song than normal and began singing:

I don't want to be second best

Don't want to stand in line

Don't want to fall behind

Don't want to get caught out

Don't want to do without

And the lesson I must learn

Is that I've got to wait my turn

Looks like I got to be hot and cold

I got to be taught and told

Got to be good as gold

But perfectly honest

I think it would be good for me

Coz it's a hindrance to my health

I'm a stranger to myself

Miniature disasters and minor catastrophes

Bring me to my knees

Well I must be my own master

Or a miniature disaster will be

It will be the death of me

I don't have to raise my voice

Don't have to be underhand

Just got to understand

That it's gonna be up and down

It's gonna be lost and found

And I can't take to the sky

Before I like it on the ground

And I need to be patient

And I need to be brave

Need to discover

How I need to behave

And I'll find out the answers

When I know what to ask

But I speak a different language

And everybody's speaking too fast

Miniature disasters and minor catastrophes

Bring me to my knees

Well I must be my own master

I've got to run a little faster

I need to know I'll last if a little

Miniature disaster hits me

It could be the death of me

Everybody clapped and again I felt a bit of happiness. I hadn't had it much, but there are those times when everything feels right with the world. Soon enough, it crashes down upon you as you again face reality in its harshest forms. When I finished Nudge called. "What is it?"

" Problem in the girl's wing. Can't say any more over the phone."

Iggy. That's the only explanation. I kept myself from laughing and told Nudge to keep the peace until Whisper got there. I can't go back yet. More to the point, I don't want to. I need to take a little time off, so I'm going flying and Talon already took Ari home on the bike, so there's nothing to worry about.

I changed back into a tank top and a pair of jeans, and got to the roof of the building. The air was so filled with smoke and smog that I felt I was going to choke on it, but it's better than not getting to fly. I let my wings out and jumped off, flapping hard. It was exhilarating, like it always was, and I let myself have a little relief from my jobs.

Leading isn't fun. But I didn't pick it, either. Some people seem to have a nose for people who know how to lead. It's like they were hounds, smelling me out, or maybe it was me, doing what I felt I needed to. I'll never know. But sometimes a good leap from the top of a skyscraper will do you some good.

I flew for what seemed like hours and landed in front of my home at 4:30. It was still dark outside, and there weren't many lights on so I suspect that only Trouble is awake. But then again, our little insomniac is always up and at 'em, giving her a few more hours for making trouble.

I went in through the front door to give Trouble a start, and then headed down to the dungeon-like basement. Don't ask me why, but I really wanted to see Fang. I guess I just wanted closure, but that wasn't happening any time soon.

He looked badly beaten, and it looks like the twins weren't able to get more out of him, because his wings looked like they were about to fall off, and his back had several large wounds up and around the spine. Stupid Fang was about to become a martyr if he kept this up.

I was in a Viking costume today, the helmet covering my face adequately, but Whisper would always disagree. "It's never enough!" she'd say. Well, it is for me.

"Morning, sleepy head," I said, pulling his head up by his hair to face me. He struggled against the handcuffs that linked him to the chair we had graciously provided. I maybe ruthless, cruel, and vicious at times, but that doesn't mean I don't have a heart. It's just coal black.

" Tsk, tsk, I told you we'd get then information somehow. But you weren't listening…" Then I came up with an idea for something to really get at his nerves. "Just like you didn't listen to me before. Think about just where you'd be if you did. Let's just put it this way. You wouldn't have been beaten to a pulp by 9 year-old girls."

I thrust his head back at the table in front of him, circling my self around the room like a vulture. I wanted to taunt him, make him feel worthless. Hit his pride, then he'll talk. Or better yet, keep him curious. " So I do know you."

" Hey, you gotta make that decision for yourself, Fang. You've made all the other decisions for yourself, why stop now and ruin your pride? The pride you've always had as a boy and as a hybrid. Why kill it now, while you're already down? Makes you even more of a pitiful excuse for a hybrid. You're stupid enough to come here by yourself. Like you didn't have a death wish before."

Or you can switch between the two and hopefully it'll come faster. But I've had just about enough of him. It's still a bit hard to handle. I still think about what could've happened, and I don't really want reality to contradict what I want. "Where do I know?"

"If I told you I wouldn't be known for blending in everywhere. If I told you, I wouldn't be known for being ruthless, and cruel, and the devil incarnate. If I told you, I wouldn't be the leader of the Outsiders. I wouldn't be me. So like hell I'm going to give up my entire life and self for your own curiosity. Lord knows I've given up enough already."

There, scare the shit out of him. I'm so loving this. Just giving one little hint at a time, each one not connecting to the others; it's just gonna make him stew till Terra and Trixie beat the crap out of him again. I leave him at that and go upstairs to sleep for about 3 hours. "Morning, guys."

I used to be the first one up every day, but lately the guys have been beating me because of my late hours. What they did in the mornings I had no idea… up till now. The door to my chambers was covered in caution tape and silly string. This must have been what Nudge was talking about. I found a broom in the closet down the hall and began sweeping the crap off my door.


	4. BLOOD and GORE and DAMIEN FOSTER

I know this one's short, but i kinda got caught up in the ruch and couldn't wait to pump this out. Like blood, sweat and tears. BLOOD AND GORE! if you want to know what that's about, ask me or anonymouse13, we both came up with it! hope you like this one!MR

Disclaimer: Me no own Max Ride. Can't get more basic.

Max's POV

Some people can't seem to take a hint that my bed only has enough room for one person… me. " What are you doing here, Damien? I thought I told you to get lost. Actually, no I didn't, my exact words were, 'If I ever see you again, I will personally skin you alive after killing your sisters in front of you with your eyes taped open'. Now, I'm going to be nice and give you a second before I take up on that little offer…"

"No need, babe. I'm not here for that, much as I'd like to…"

"I heard that."

"That's why I said it, babe. Anyway, it turns out I've got some information about the little friend of yours downstairs."

"Let's hear it, and then I'll decide whether you make it out of here alive."

Now, I'm not stupid. I know better than to trust Damien Foster about something so huge. I want to hear it from the horse's mouth. And I know just how to get it.

Fang's POV

I was getting whipped again when suddenly my tormentors were ordered out of the room and I was carted to my holding cell. It was one of those relics that could be a set for a western movie, but it still kept you from getting out and contacting anybody, so I was stuck.

Then the most wonderful, disturbing and odd thing happened. Maximum Ride was brought bound and gagged into my holding cell! "Max," I breathed, " What happened to you?"

She started sobbing, " We went to Cincinnati… and there were Erasers… and they shot Ari… I lost him… found a group… sent for recon… caught… here…"

I hugged her tightly to my chest and let her sob into my shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Max. I'm sorry for leaving… I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't want to hurt you."

She stopped sobbing eventually and gave me a sad smile. "Thanks. It means a lot to hear that."

Then she gave me a peck on the cheek and sat up. But I wanted more of her, I wanted to hold her, to let her cry on my shoulder made me feel like I could really redeem myself in her eyes. I tried to mask my bit of disappointment as she got up and sat against the wall next to me. "So what happened to you?"

"I left, and went to LA, got caught up in the Scarlet Angels, then I came up the ladder and became leader. We've been trying to take out Itex, but some of our people have been disappearing around here, and then we heard about the Outsiders, so I came up here by myself to came and find out more, then I got captured."

"What were you going to do after you found out about them?"

"I was going to have the leader captured, and maybe killed, and take over. They have a much better set-up and it'd help us dismantle Itex if we had their resources…"

I stopped as she brushed her lips against mine, and then she stood, pulling something out of the back pocket of her jeans. In a flash she was on the other side of a door with a revolver in her hands, the sights trained at my chest. She gave me a smirk. " That's what I needed to hear, Fang. You were stupid enough to think you could waltz up here, BY YOURSELF, and kill me? I've seen you be stupid before, Fang, but this pretty much takes the cake."

Then she pulled the trigger.


	5. Lorena Bobbitt, Jr

Hey, I hope you like this one. BLOOD AND GORE! MR

Disclaimer: I don't own Max Ride.

Max's POV

If you think I'm dumb enough to kill the leader of one of my enemies, well, then you're dumber than I thought. I shot right next to his head, and he fell down. I guess he thought he was dead. Fang may be when I'm through with him, but that hasn't happened yet. Not even close.

I walked back up to my room where Damien was waiting. He had kind of a thing for me. Used to be part of the group, but he got a little feisty and I shot him in the groin. The rest is history.

But now he's back, and I think he must have had some reconstruction surgery downstairs, because otherwise he's just a horny S.O.B. I opened my door to find Damien on my bed in his birthday suit. And it was not pretty. "Damn, Damien, put some freaking clothes on! I told you the last time, NO WAY! Disgusting little sexist pig."

I turned away as fast as possible, more content with staring at a doorframe than his skinny white ass. "No thank you? I guess that tells you about the gratitude around here."

" No, Damien, it tells you that I'm not a whore. Now get out before I shoot you again. You're going to walk yourself on down to the dungeons downstairs and I'm locking you up."

" Good, I like those kinds of games better anyways."

" You're disgusting. I'm locking you up so it'll be easier to shoot you when I want to, not because I'm ever going to let you out alive." I pushed him through the door and down into the basement of doom.

Fang's POV

And our second contestant is… who knows! This kid about Max's and my age was thrown into the same cell as me, but he's still the second person to be thrown into this cell after me, so…yeah. Anyway, Max brought him down with the same gun she'd tried to shoot me with. She's not as good of a shot as I'd thought she'd be.

I wondered what this guy was here for. He didn't look like a bad guy to me. He was kind of skinny and pretty tall for a human, and he had light brown hair that contrasted his very white skin and green eyes. " Why are you here?"

" No 'Hello, my name is…'? Very well, my name is Damien. I'm here because Max put me here… Isn't that what she did to you?"

"No. She had me beaten first."

" Lucky. I would've liked to get some of that action. She did the torture herself I'm guessing?"

What is he talking about? "No. She had these Greek looking twins whip me while they asked questions. It wasn't much fun."

" Oh. The girls. They're some of the best in the biz. Too bad they've gotten softer over the years. You should've seen when they were six! I felt kind of proud, even if I was only second-in-command at the time…"

" So Max likes male second-in-commands? Doesn't surprise me much."

" She dumped you, too?"

" What do you mean dumped? I never dated her? So… why exactly are you here?"

" I wanted a little more than Max wanted, I tried to get it, and she blew my balls off. That's really all you need to know. I left and she vowed that she'd skin me alive after killing my sisters in front of me… which means a lot, really, Max adores my sisters. That was about a year ago. Good thing I can regenerate my body parts. I came back just in time for her to reach her true destiny… Lorena Bobbitt, Jr. I came back with some information about this idiot named Fang, a.k.a. Daniel Black, the head of the Scarlet Angels. The guy's a loon if he thought he could get past Maximum Ride! She went for a while, to confirm the information, I presume, then I made a bit of a surprise for her. She didn't like it and marched me down here. I'm waiting for the jury to find me guilty so I can give a congratulatory speech before Max's perfect aim makes sure I don't come back."

" What do you mean 'perfect aim'?"

" She has the best damn aim of anybody in the business. Max could kill a fly 200 miles away if there were bullets small enough. She knows exactly where to hit on the target and it never misses. Not even on her bad days."

So Max missed me on purpose? What kind of sense does that make? We waited in silence for a while when I finally asked, " What'd you mean about Fang being an idiot?"

" You sure don't know much do you, kid?"

" I'm not a kid, and I wouldn't mind a bit if you told me."

" Nope, ex-best friends rule."

" I'm an ex-best friend."

" Well, then I guess it won't hurt. This person Fang is an idiot because Max and him were friends about where her story starts. She tried taking her kid brother with them and he split. She didn't tell him that she loved him. I actually don't think she knew until after New York. She kept saying it in her sleep, 'Fang, come back, I need you, PLEASE!'" He imitated the sound of her high-pitched voice.

"It was almost pathetic to say that I wanted her, everyone knew what she'd say at night. We could all hear her, loud as the church bell rings. But I was stupid enough to go after her, smarter than Fang was, the dolt, but stupid nonetheless. I just hope she tells him before she kills him for being the leader of the Scarlet Angels. She was super pissed when she found out. I wonder which cell he's in?"

He looked around at the walls like he knew which one lead where. But something was still bothering me. "Wait, so what did you want from her?"

" Just a little action from her, if you know what I mean."

He gave me a wink. I already knew what he meant and I wasn't liking it one bit. Damien was surprised, very surprised as I landed the first punch into the left side of his nose, making it bleed like a red coffee making machine.

OH. MY. Fang's ALIIIIIIIVE! R and R please!


	6. POP! goes the weasel

Okay, I know I told some of you that I wouldn't update today, but well, the whole music thing didn't work out so well. My violin and guitar need to be tuned badly, my trumpet I can only really stand for 45 minutes and my voice gave out an hour ago. So yeah, that didn't work. Now I'm here, giving you some blood and gore. And tell me if you got the Lorena Bobbitt joke form last chapter, nobody mentioned it. Happy readings of perverse and demonic joy. MR

Disclaimer: IdonotownMaximumRideDoIlooklikeJPtoyou? Good,thisischineselaundry! Wouldyoulikethepekingduckortheseschuandog?

Damien's POV

I felt the first of his punch's land on the side of my nose, making it spurt blood, but a wide smile played across my face as I ripped my nose off completely and grew a new one. You should have seen his face! It was all: OH MY GOD!!!! THIS GUY JUST RIPPED HIS FREAKIN' NOSE OFF!!! I couldn't wait for the people on duty for security to tell Max and have her come to be the referee for this little fight. I dodged his next punch, after he regained movement and landed a punch to his stomach.

We kept going like that, him punching, me dodging and throwing a punch, him sidestepping, trying a kick, me dodging and punching, and so on. It was about a half hour before Max came down. She had a look of grim humor on her face. Then she shot my head off.

I heard the sound of a key going into the lock, and the door swinging open as my new head made its appearance. She was only a bit surprised by that, but I think she was prepared for it. Max blasted my brains and did something to me, I don't know what. But I felt this pulsing sensation in my neck and then after my head reformed I felt this huge pain that just kept on growing and everything went black.

Max's POV

I watched with perverse glee as Damien exploded into a million pieces. It was just too much fun. Was I upset that he was dead? Hell, no! The guy tried forcing himself on me MORE THAN ONCE! Bastard deserves what he got. His sisters Mae, Bella, and Dinah may have a harder time though. I mean, they knew what happened, and they agreed with me on the course of action. It's just one of those rules, you know?

After I wiped some of Damien off my clothes, Fang came up and hugged me. GREAT. Not. " Get off, jerk."

" What? You don't love me?"

" No."

His voice gained a singsong, mocking quality. "That's not what I heard."

Idiot. " Let go."

" Not until you say it."

" Fine! You know what? I love you! But that doesn't change anything. We are who we are and there's nothing that changes that. You have to die. If not for my own personal reasons, then the fact that you are the enemy. I just have to get the information from you and then I get to watch the light fade from your eyes. It's just the way tings are Fang. That's just it. And you can't slow down the process either. Neither can I. It just has to happen…"

Fang must have gotten tired of my rambling like Nudge, so he kissed me. I felt like I was in heaven, but then I remembered who I was kissing and I felt like my heart was ripped form me. I can't have him forever. Hell, I can't even have him now. It's wrong doing this. And yet I can't pull myself away. I did though, even though it broke my heart to do this. I pulled away and punched his handsome, sexy face. Oh god, I did NOT just think that. I ran to the desk outside the cell and pulled out the defibrillator. I set it up and charged it just as Fang regained consciousness from hitting the wall. I waited only a second before I hit the red button and watched his lifeless form slump over on to the cold concrete floor.


	7. Does heaven smell like a soup kitchen?

This is as far as I thought I could go with this story and still keep the characters strong. So this is the end for this one, too. I know it's really short, but I'm ending 2 stories today and probably starting another one. Busy, busy, busy. So thanks to all the people who have read and reviewed this one, and I hope you like it. MR

Disclaimer: Dude, would I really have to put this up here if I owned?

Fang's POV

I woke up in a smelly room with what looked to be damp, moldy walls and no windows. I couldn't see any furniture except the bed, and I could only really feel that. I turned a bit and saw Max, my angel, sitting at the end of the bed, a smirk on her face, as if pleased about some accomplishment. "Hey, sleepy head. How're you feeling?"

I hurt all over. My chest blazed with an intense dislike of whatever had happened to it, my arms and legs were weak with fatigue, and my head was spinning. "I'm feeling like a million dollars."

" Don't lie, Fang. It's unbecoming."

Max looked down on me with a small smile that lit up her face. She was smiling at me. And that's all that mattered. "What happened?"

With a slightly creepy smile she said," I did what I had to do. I killed you."

" Are we in heaven?"

Max laughed. "Would heaven smell like the basement of a soup kitchen?"

"Hell, then?"

" More like earth, Fang."

"You killed me."

There was humor in those eyes that gleamed at me with a light I've never seen. " But that doesn't mean it's impossible to bring you back to life."

"How?"

" It's called a defibrillator, heard of it?"

" Yes."

" Well, then."

I tried to sit up and failed, and Max gave me a stern look full of concern and a tad of anger. " Don't kill yourself now, Fang. Not after I just threw my ass on the line trying to save you. I'm going behind my group's back trying to cut a deal, and end out with more of a soul then I got left, so get better, and then start acting like Fang. We've got a long and winding road ahead, and don't think for a second that you're not going to be there right beside me."


End file.
